Does anyone have experience with chiropractic? Why did you go, what did he do to you, for how long did you go and what was the outcome? Did you get any screening or scans done before and after? Anybody you know who has had good results, bad results.

I've been seeing chiros for years, as you would a massage therapist. I go when my neck or back is in crisis and if I can afford it I also go for maintenance treatments once or twice monthly (that keeps me from going into crisis). I've gone throughout 2 pregnancies as well. Obviously I love it and find it effective or I wouldn't have done it all this time, lol.
I've never had screening or scans, I don't even know what you're talking about actually. A good Dr will ask you enough questions and have a good feel for the body to diagnose and treat you well.
I have a very long neck I guess back as well since I'm tall, my neck will go into spasm now and then which is a burning hot fire of agony. The chiro treats me with TENS machine, heat and adjustments. I've been to ones who use a clicker thingy for adjusting and those who treat exclusively with their hands and those who use a combo of both, I've seen Drs that adjust with lots of popping and cracking as well as Drs who are so gentle you never hear a single crack. Everybody has their own preferances, you'll just have to see what you like best. I've been instructed in exercises to help with my specific issues by nearly every chiro I've been to, they tend to be extremely knowledgable about physiology. Often they are well versed in natural living, natural diet and other alternative treatments as well.

After the first few sessions, I had a lot of pain in my upper chest, every time I breathed, coughed, laughed, moved - because he did something on my upper back, but it's not so bad now - I've been going about two weeks. I thought maybe he cracked one of my ribs or something. Is it normal for it to hurt for a while after the treatment?

Now I'm thinking after I complained to him about the soreness, he's only going to do the clicky thing and the table drop, and it won't be so effective. And the whole package is costing about $1000 - 24 sessions. I guess the results won't be immediate - it could take 6 months to feel a difference.

I'm just a bit skeptical that I'm wasting my money or he could mess me up, nad how once you start with a chiropractor, you have to keep going every month.

You can stop going to a chiro any time you please, you certainly aren't obligated to go regularly or for ever! The idea that once you see a chiro once you'll have to for life is a myth in my opinion. I have gone years between treatments at times. I just find it very helpful so I do try to go regularly. I'm sure if I actually did yoga daily and made sure to work out rather than relying on a busy lifestyle for physical fitness I wouldn't need to go for treatments at all or barely ever. But life is busy and my body sees a fair amount of use and abuse (kids, grocery and laundry are heavy, I often ignore my own needs for those of the children and of the household).

If your Dr has prescribed a course of treatment and you've committed to it I would say that's it's wise to see it through. You and the Dr can always reassess as treatment progresses and if you are doing very well you might be able to retain some of the sessions to use for maintenance over time.
I would caution you to take this commitment seriously and to be faithful with any exercises you are instructed to do as well as any other care that's recommended. It's a waste of money to go about this halfway IMO. I know I could save myself time and money as well as physical discomfort if I would rearrange my life to accomodate more time for myself for stretching and strength training and I am working towards that goal. For you, since you are spending a fair amount of money, I would say regard that as an investment and protect the value of that as well as you can by taking care to keep your body in good working order.

And to answer your question, yes, I have had discomfort or even pain after a treatment. It depends on what was adjusted and how my body reacted to it of course. Keeping an open dialogue with the Dr throughout treatment is advisable as they will be able to better treat you with as much feedback as possible about how you're feeling and reacting to the adjustments. You may need to go gentler at first if something is leaving you in pain for days. But remember that more is not neccessarily more in this case, you don't want all the Dr can give you if that would be too much for your body. Better, I'd think, to take it easy and have just the right amount and sort of treatment to deal with your specific issues. Often my chiro will suggest ice or heat or certain postures after a treatment to help maintain and encourage alignment, your Dr may do the same if he knows you're hurting and thinks there are things you can do at home to help between adjustments.

It's funny, when I go I get him to crank up the TENS machine as high as he will and when he cracks me I don't want the clicker, I want hands on snap crackle pop. I often have him adjust my back again if there's a spot that still feels tight (there is one rib that keeps moving out of place). But I've got a friend who also sees that Dr and she needs things baby-gentle, if he pummeled her back the way he does mine she'd not be able to walk out again! We are all so different in what works to address our issues. Be sure to listen to your body and express how you're feeling without holding back so your Dr has as much info as possible to go on, I can't stress that enough.

When I need a chiropractor or massage therapist, I see one. I don't usually go for more than 4 consecutive sessions. There are all kinds of practitioners. I find ones that serve me appropriately and only go for as long as I feel is necessary, sometimes going once a week for two weeks, then once every two weeks, then a month later. I have lastly seen a 'Health Source' chiropractic practitioner. Very good for me.

So just now I started researching them and of course the first thing I run across is someone skeptical of using a punching device to really fix structural problems. I guess I'm just anal or negative or a worry-wart or something before I'm wondering if I'm wasting my time and money on this treatment.

I've never seen an osteopath but my chiro does some of that (I don't know which parts are which). I'm not a far of the clicker, I prefer a proper crack with hands except possibly on the sides of the neck but I have a longer neck than is usual and it's delicate.

I am unsure if cracking the neck is healthy also, it can damage blood vessels integrity and cause strokes from what ive read.

My last chiro was a scam i reckon, she barely touched me for all of a minute when i went and my back never really got better. Stretching, core strengthening and working out muscular imbalances helped though.

Might try another chiro again my upper posture is still a few inchs off.

As with any health related profession, you will get good and bad practicioners, and the bad ones can prove their reasoning. We live in a culture that believes that anything in print is truth, and so often practicioners who are educated and do alot of writing tend to be believed, without any thought to truth or falsehood.

That said, I have been on both sides of the chiropractic debate. I have been to one, for many years, and I have also NOT been to one for many years. The questions I always pose to chiropractors and believers in it are along these lines, if in fact you actually have a problem in your spine, did the problem present itself in days or years? Now the problem comes as to whether you are talking about "the problem", the real issue, or whether you are talking about how you are feeling at the moment. The most common response is "Well I go to a chiropractor when in crisis", meaning typically that I have a long term problem and when I can't stand it any more, I go and get a fix. Many go to a massage therapist for the same reasoning. This, I submit, having been a massage therapist for 12 years, makes no more sense than thinking that aspirin cures headaches.

The real question for me is, do I actually have a verifiable anatomical issue? What exactly is the issue? And who best may service that issue? Having seen a chiropractor for a lot of years, I have never been satified with their answers, or practices, for me, so I do not go any more. That is just me. If I were just looking for a quick fix, I guess any practicioner would do.